Condensing apparatus



F. LJUNGSTR GM CONDENSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6, 1919.

1,330,081. Patented Feb. 10,1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET l- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDRIIK LJUNGsTnoM, or BREVIK, LIDINGoN, SWEDEN, ASSIGNOR T0 AKTIEBOLAGET LJUNGsTnoMs ANGTURBIN, or STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN.

CONDENSING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 10, 1920.

Application filed February 6, 1919. Serial No. 275,417.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDRIK LJUNcs'rRoM, chief engineer, subject of the King of Sweden, residing at Brevik, Lidingon, Sweden, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Condensing Apparatus for Locomotives, of which the following is a specification. i

It is a known fact that the steam motor of locomotives is subjected to very great variations of load, the trains alternately running on uphill-or doWnhill-and on level lengths. Also in starting from or running into a station, and so forth,-greatly varying loads are met with. Such variations of load, therefore, call for greatly varying requirements with regard to the ability of the condenser to condense the steam which is dischargedfrom the steam motor and enters the condenser, the quantity of such steam changing from maximum to 0, often at intervals of only 1-2 minutes between the various full load periods.

1 Therefore, the quantity of air required to effect the condensation of the steam is particularly variable, this circumstance having been one of the chief difiiculties whichhas prevented the arrangement of a condenser in locomotives. These difficulties, in fact,

have been so great that heretofore the arranging of condensers in locomotives has been wholly desisted from The present invention relates to a condenser arrangement for locomotives (or similar engines) which is intended for the use of an approximately constant quantity of air, thereby enabling a reduction of the dimensions of the air cooled condenser and of the total quantity of air forced through the air cooled condenser per unit of time, the air flowing through the air cooled condenser during the no-load .periods being rendered active also for the full-load periods.

This will be obtained by building up the condenser partly of a condenser and partly of an accumulator in the form of a reservoir containing liquid and, if found suitable, one or more heat absorbing solid bodies. This vacuum accumulator acts in such manner that it absorbs part of the steam through condensation during the full load periods, but, on the other hand, delivers a corresponding quantity of steam to the air cooled condenser during the no-load periods. In

this way the air cooled condenser, evidently, is rendered independent of the steam impulses to the condenser and the same no longer has to be constructed for maximum quantities of steam, its dimensioning for an average quantity of steam answering all requirements; the equalization takes place in the accumulator.

Various embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a locomotive, tender or the like designed according to the invention. 7 r

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2'2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. '3 is a cross section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows a detail of the condenser drawn to a larger scale.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 shows a detail of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 shows in longitudinal section a modification of the arrangement represented in Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a sectional plan view of this modification on the line 99 of Fig. 10, the upper part of Fig. 9 being a section on line 99 of Fig. 8, and the lower part a section on line 9'9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a front view of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a cross section on line 1111 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 12 is a longitudinal section of a further embodiment of the invention.

Fi 13 shows the same in cross section on the line 1313 of Fig. 12, and

Fig. 14 a further embodiment in cross section. v

In the embodiment according to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 1 denotes the air cooled condenser and 2 the accumulator containing a liquid, preferably water and, if desired, a solid heat absorbing material. The accumulator suitably has the form of an elongated cylinder.

the time under full load and half the time without .load, and that .the variations inspeed. occur every minute; assuming further that the water has an initial temperature of 65.", then, in the full load period of the firstminute half of the steam escapes into the air cooled condenser 1, which on account of the cooling action of the air retains its temperature of the other half of the steam being condensed'by the water contained in the accumulator 2, by which the temperature of the said water is raised to 7 0?. \Vhen the noload periods set in obviously all delivery of steam from the steam motor to the condenser ceases. On account of the cooling action of the air on the air cooled condenser the temperature of the latter falls rapidly so that a higher vacuum is produced in the'same, corresponding to the saturation temperature at a lower steam pressure. On account of this lower steam pressure the water in the receptacle of the condenser gives ofi' steam to the condenser, the temperature of such water falling in the meantime so that in the next full load period the said quantity of water will by the lower temperature thus obtained be ready once more to absorb through tempera.- ture rise half of the steam entering in the full load period. Thus the water contained in receptacle of the condenser serves as a sort of vacuum accunmlator .by' equalizing the load for the air coolerso that the latter in a case like the one above described has to be only halfas great as it would haveto be without the accumulator.

To facilitate the steam absorption or delivery of the accumulator the same is provided with-a circulating pump 3- and other suitable means to bring the water into live contact with the steam by round-pumping and the forming of a series of water jets 4, cataracts or the like. This may be attained by placing a diaphragm 5 provided with a series of apertures 6 above the water level, the said diaphragm being filled with water by means of the pump 3 so that the water forms a level with corresponding pressure on the diaphragm. Through the apertures 6 of the diaphragm the water falls in a series of jets .to the lower water level, thus facilitating a rapid and lively condensation or delivery of steam. The water jets are suitably formed into long and thin water partitions by providing the diaphragm with apertures in the form of el0ngated narrow openings, thus giving the steam a good passage between the said water partitions in the longitudinal direction of the vessel, without rendering the resistance ofl'ered to the steam flowing through the vacuum accumulator too great.

The air cooled condenser 1, which is disposed above the water accumulator, is provided with steam inlets at 7, outlets 8 for air pump this way the steam the water of condensation and a connecting branch 9 for the air pump. The arrows shown in the drawing indicate the way taken by the steam through the condenser or vacuum accumulator during the full load periods. It is to be observed that on account of the general construction of the condenser as a whole part of the steam passes directly into the air cooled condenser at 10. Assuming for instance that 1} of the total quantity of steam passes at 10, then i of the total quantity flow partly over partly under the diaphragm 5 so that through the contact between steam and water one half of the total quantity of steam is condensed, finally the remaining i enters into the second half of the air cooled condenser l at 11.

By this arrangement the advantage is obtained that while the condensation is taking place in the air cooled condenser there is always a flow of steam through the whole of the vacuum accumulator and through the passage 11 and condenser 1, whereby any air entrained with the steam enters with t the steam into the air cooled condenser at 11, and is finally drawn off by means of the at the branch connection 9. In is subjected to a systematic thoroughly efl'ected circulation through the condenser and the vacuum accumulator in such manner that all the air entrained with the steam is compelled to follow with it to the air pump connection,

a circumstance making it possible to obtain an. aefiective vacuum and to reduce the air p ump work. to a minimum. The quantity of air to be pum 'ed from the two different sections of the air cooled condenser may be suitably proportioned by the arrangement of suitable throttling holes 12 (Fig. 7) in such manner, that in the present case for instance is taken from the one part of the air cooled condenser and from the second part of the said condenser, these quantities corresponding to the quantities of air which in the course of the clrculation get into the one or the other part of the air cooled condenser.

The air cooled condenser obviously may be constructed in a great many different forms of which Figs. 4, 5 and 6 in the drawin 2; show one embodiment. According to this form of construction the air cooled condenser is built up of a number of laminae 13, each formed of a plate corrugated at angles of 45 relatively to the longitudinal direction, the said plate'in the form of a flattened out pipe constituting the inside steam chamber of the laminae in which steam channels ing each other and being also open toward each other at the crossing points. The cooling air is forced through the channels formed between the laminae, a particularly favorable cooling effect being obtained thereby. This form of air cooled condenser is principally known through the Swedish Patents No. 7 8&8 and No. 167 24, and in the present application only the special application of the air cooled condenser in combination with the vacuum accumulator and the connection of the cooling laminae with the steam chamber are claimed as novel characteristics.

The cooling laminae are connected with the steam space of the vacuum accumulator 2 by means of bent pipes 15. The pipes 15 are preferably soldered to the cooling laminae and connected with a common tube plate 22 by-means of screw-connections of nown construction, or they may be attached to the plate in some other convenient manner. The said tube plate is preferably constructed so as to secure air tight connections with the tubes 15. The air pump connection 9 is situated in the opposite end of the cooling laminae, and the water of condensation is drawn ofi' directly into the vacuum accumulator through a pipe 8 at any convenient point of the lower edge of the laminae. The air outlets of all cooling laminae are connected in two groups to a common air outlet 19 by means of collecting pipes 20 running transversely over all laminae.

To obtain a sufficiently powerful air circulation through the air cooled condenser the air is sucked in at both sides preferably through screen-like guide plates 16 directed obliquely forward, counting in the longitudinal direction of the locomotive, the relative speed between the locomotive and the surrounding air being thus utilized to efiectively draw the air into the cooling apparatus. In the running periods, however, the speed of the locomotive is varying greatly relatively to the surrounding air, and to overcome this drawback vertical propeller-fans 17 are disposed in conjunction with the guide plates 16 above mentioned, which fans are suitably driven from the steam motor or the wheel axles of the underframe, .the said fans forcing the air upward through the condenser. The fans 17 are suitably connected with thin driving means in such manner that the speed of the fans may be changed, when required, relatively to the speed of the locomotive.

The uSe of a high vacuum requiring considerable dimensions of the connecting passage between the steam motor 23 and the condenser, the steam motor 23 is preferably placed on the vacuum accumulator directly, or on the car carrying the same, and in such case the energy of the steam motor is is conducted from the accumulator 2 up into the air cooled condenser 1 through the passage 26 situated by the side of the air drum 24. In this case the laminae of the air cooler are placed in the transverse direction of the locomotive.

In the embodiment according to Figs. 12, 13 and 14 an air cooled condenser is provided on each side of a vertical plane, the said condensers being arranged obliquely to this lane. The cooling air is taken in as described above with reference to Fig. 1, the air flowing through the condensers in the direction indicated by the arrows. In the embodiment according to Fig. 14 the ac cumulator is of triangular cross section.

In most cases it will be found suit-able to arrange the condenser and the accumulator on the same car in accordance with the embodiments shown in the drawings, the steam motor also, if desired, being disposed on the said car. \Vhen the steam motor is not placed on this car, however the latter rather corresponds to the tender than to the locomotive in the arrangements employed at present. The boiler, which may be provided with a superheater and an air-preheater, is

arranged on another car corresponding to the locomotive when the steam motor is disposed on the same.

No matter how the boiler, superheater, steam motor, air cooled condenser and accumulator are arranged in relation to each other, the boiler and the condenser should be disposed after each other, a number of various advantages being thereby obtained regarding the utilization of space, reduction of losses due to the cooling of the steam, increased supply of air to the air cooled condenser, and so forth.

Claims:

1. A condensing apparatus for locomotives including an air cooled condenser, a steam motor and a vacuum accumulator in connection with the condenser and the motor and adapted at varying loads for alternately receiving steam from the motor and for discharging steam to the air cooled condenser.

2. A condensing apparatus for locomotives including in combination, an air cooled condenser, a steam motor, a vacuum accumulator adapted to contain water in connection with the condenser and the motor and adapted at varying loads for alternately receiving steam. from the steam motor and discharging steam to the air cooled condenser,

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the means includes, a diaphragm arranged in the accumulator and provided with a series of longitudinally disposed slots for producing jets, and a circulating pump between the diaphragm and the: bottom off the accumulator.

4. A condensing apparatus for locomotives including in combination, an air cooled condenser, a steam motor, an inclosed cylindrical accumulator adapted to contain water in connection with the condenser and the motor adapted at varying loads for alternately receiving steam from the steam motor and for discharging steam to the air'cooled condenser, a diaphragm arranged longitudinally of the accumulator and provided with a plurality of longitudinally disposed slots for producing water jets, a pump casing integral with and depending from the diaphragm and a rotary pump arranged in the pump casing for raising water from the bottom of the accumulator and causing it to flow over the diaphragm.

An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein obliquely disposed screens are arranged on opposite sides of the condenser and in the direction of the movement of the locomotive for directing cooling air against the condenser.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fan is provided to effect a sufficient draft of air against the air cooled condenser when the locomotive is runnlng at low speed.

7. An apparatus as-claimed in claim 1, wherein a fan is provided to effect a sufficient draft of air against the air cooled condenser and means'between the fan and the locomotive for regulating the speed of the fan relative to the locomotive.

8. A condensing apparatus for locomotives including in combination, an air cooled condenser composed of a plurality of corrugated laminae forming communicating steam passages, a steam motor, an accumulator arranged beneath the condenser and connected with the motor, inlet pipes arranged between one end of the laminae and the steam space of the accumulator, air pump connections associated with the oppmsite ends of the lamina, and outlet pipes tween the laminae and, the accumulator.

9. Anapparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the condenser and the accumulator are elongated in the direction of movement of the locomotive whereby to permit cooling air to contact with the sides and bottom of the condenser.

10. An: apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the motor is connected directly to the accumulator to insure of the provision of steam passages of the desired length, the accumulator also being in the form of a cylinder, and heads in the accumulator to which the Pipes are attached.

11. A condensing apparatus fo locomotives, including an air cooled condenser, a steam motor and a vacuum accumulator in connection with the condenser and the motor and adapted at varying loads for alternately receiving steam from the motor and for discharging steam to the air cooler, the steam pipe from the motor exhausting into the accumulator.

12. A condensing apparatus for locomotives, including an air cooled condenser, a steam motor and a vacuum accumulator in cohiiection with the condenser and the motor and adapted at varying loads for alternately receiving steam from the motor and for discharging steam to the air cooler, the steam pipe from the motor exhausting into the accumulator in such a way, that a part of the steam flows directly into the air cooler, another part, however, into the accumulator.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDRIK LJUNGSTROM.

Witnesses:

JAooB Bacon, P. H. Bnnenorm. 

